C. (Comment, never msg). > Recent Status Updates

I am jogging along sedately, taking a week per novel, because "The Voice" with Gwen Stefani back, is an important source of smiling and laughter several hours per week! I fell asleep after reading 10 pages most times, which made this novel hard to get going; a series opener that is too character-driven (external characters) and descriptive of too much minutia. I like it now that Richard at last befriended Melrose.

I collected Martha Grimes for what must be ten years. In a fashion that is unsurprising to my gathering methods, I had not read a word of it until now! I did only locate this series-opening volume last summer. It lay on a reading table when I walked into my favourite charity sale. A top thing I am seeking is always there in plain view! This place is out-of-town, so that enchantment is surely a gift for my visit!

It is time to finish learning! Between 2003, when my 21 year-old cat died and 2007, a year after taking an animal communication workshop and launched my line of animal and nature greeting cards; I was most open to telepathic communication and healing energy. Having a skeptic among close friends stilled my openness. I built a great library of books I haven't read. My belief is dormant no longer! Back to my roots!

My reaction is in. I like the writing, the narrating! Which means I can enjoy whatever age, culture, or style of mystery Josephine Tey's work might introduce to me. Certainly this Scottish authoress fits my little-known reading challenge "Celtic Coasts" and obviously, My Kind Of Mystery. If you haven't joined me yet, our year having only begun February 1, look up those blog pages! :-) www.CMRiedel.Wordpress.com

Good training for thinking and plotting creatively. In almost every instance I was on the right track or bang on. I should hope so after years of reading fantastic and varied large doses of mysteries. Nonetheless I started with a kid's compilation to be sure I warm up adequately! [GRIN!]

I am unsure I want to proceed with this books because I hate violence, especially averse to hearing of sexual assault as anyone would be. I located so much of her series, nearly all; it would bother me not at least see if her second were more palatable. Although some reviewers blab far too much about how a book goes, instead of why they liked it; I see that the paranormal factors in this mystery. I will proceed.

Thus I begin my first journey with Charlaine Harris, who kindly created two series without vampires that I can read. It is time to jump upon her bandwagon if I can and see about loving her as much as so many fans around the world do! Ah, used books: what a gift. Once upon a time, when I was a highschool student in 1990, this mystery series began....

There is a lot that is well done, including an original sleuth and environment. But I hope Alan Bradley's over-indulgent writing trimmed down a great deal with exerience over time. I cannot stand excessive and out-of-place uses of words like "gentle", or dramatic use of "crimson/scarlet" when RED can simply be written!!!! Too much heaviness upon page; every description startlingly laden.

Writing is awfully overdone and indulgent. I also don't find I care for the protagonist - yet. That poses a problem, getting anything out of this! Disliking an author's writing and main character is not a good sign of taking to a novel and series I expected to love! There is no way I buy that this is a "lonely bored girl". She lives in an enormous, generously equipped manor with two sisters; one almost her age.

I really enjoy these characters and Anne Perry didn't mind putting a spotlight on the workhouse poverty of London's people. We imagine laws and persistence with education long ago eliminated horrendous situatations like those described. Her motive in taking an advocacy stance among many of her rich characters is perhaps to show there were rich who did care, most could not have known, and how poor other humans were.

I always feel I would like Anne to allow the end to simmer and to show us the characters winding down at home, after the mystery is solved and all danger is eliminated. She closes too abruptly and I hope to see that has changed by this fourth novel. However I like a start that takes us to the thick of things soon and by page 18 there was a second puzzle. She does include personal thoughts, emotions, and character.

I fall asleep before finishing as far into books as I'd like to but I am nearly done this introductory novel to Alexander McCall Smith's most well-known series. He has many others, the creative bloke! I have début novels from several and will try them later. This is far off the mystery path I expected but we love Precious and her dearest people. In my challenges: this Is for CELTIC COASTS and MY KIND OF MYSTERY!

Having argued "a cozy mystery" is not the convoluted mix of traits people think and that it is simply a lighter version of "a standard adult mystery" (Diet 7UP versus 7UP); someone asked where this book should go. I had not read it until now. It did look like it would be funny and whacky but its placement is no puzzle! Any book that discusses abuse and mourning a lost pregnancy is not light fare. Standard adult.